Electrolytic cell



c. 1. THATCHER.

mcmounc cm; APPLICATION FILED opt 21. 1,919.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- C. J. THATCHER.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

Arms-Anon FILED ocr 21.1919.

1,388,21 6. Patented Aug. 23,1921

3 SHEETSSHEET 2- 2 v 'a nvewtoz flames JTMMW; w, M w-- L c. THATCHER. ELECTROLYTIC cm. APPLICATION FILED OCT 21, l9l9.

Patenwd Aug. 23, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

' 3 wvewtoz UZ/a/zes f 1730105 JUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. THATCHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES J. THATCHER,

1 a citizen of the United States, and a resident material to a minimum, but at the same time "constructed in manner to be conveniently taken apart forclea'ning of the cell; also, to provide a construction which will afford a viewof the interior of the cell during operation and permit removal of samples. A

- further object of the invention consists in means for stirring the electrolyte so as to induce a proper and positive circulation thereof.

The nature of the invention will be best understood when described in connection vwith the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved v electrolytic cell.

Fig. 2 is a plan thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3--3, Fig. 2. v

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan of thecell with a number of the parts removed.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 66, Fig. 2. v Fig.7 is a perspective detail view of a member employed to close the cell. Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, l0designates a suitable and outer container such as a jar of stone ware, porcelain or like material, on the bottom of which is supported, through three feet or blocks disposed 1209 apart to prevent rocking, an inner or separator vessel 11. This vessel is constructed of diaphragm material of a semi-permeable nature, permitting the .free diffusion of ions therethrough, but serving to prevent, for', -all prac tical purposes, any transmission of fluid through the walls of said vessel. A very satisfactory material for this purpose is that vessel 11.

Specification of Letters Iatent. Patented Aug. 23, 1921- r Application filed October 21, 1919. Serial No. 332,228.

thereof. This latter vessel may be of lead or other suitable material such as graphite plates suitably held together as by means of lead coated angle pieces 13 and bolts 14, and is secured relatively to the vessel 11 in that its lower edges 15 fit into corresponding grooves 16 provided in the bottom of the moreover, are provided near the top of the electrode to further locate the same with reference to the vessel 11.

The vessel 11 affords either the cathode Suitable dowels or" blocks 17,

or anode compartment, as may be desirable,

into which, as hereinbefore described, cX- tends the electrode 12, while the space between the vessel 11 and the outer vessel 10 constitutes either the anode or cathode compartment, and into which dip suitable electrodes 18, such as lead plates, which are supported from the rim of the vessel 10 as by be ng hung over a square frame piece 19 of suitable conducting material, which rests upon the top of the vessel 10, and to which by means of removable glass plates 20 "and 21; and, furthermore, the top of the vessel formed by the electrodes 12 is arranged to be closed by means of two plates 22'of glass, over which rests a further closure member 23 of lead, having downwardly extending lugs 24.- designed to contact with the edges of the plates 22 and secure same in position, the other edges of the plates 22 abutting up wardly extending bars or guide strips 25 secured to the outer end of the electrode vessel 12, and/which hold the electrode 12 and thereby the vessel 11 in place.

The closure member 23 may be provided with an opening 26 through which samples of the electrolyte withinthe vessels 11 and 12 may be obtained, and] with a further opening 27 centrally dis osed with reference thereto and through w ich is arranged to location of the stirring l of the finished charge pass a tubular stirring member 30. This member extends through a false bottom 31 I of the vessel 12,- said falsebottom having a suitable opening 32 therein to permit of the member, and being slit, as indicated, to 'a ow a T termination or arms 33 to pass therethrough. A further opening-34 is provided to allow of the in sertion of a tube (not shown) for removal By means of the false bottom 31, a chamber is provided between the bottom of vessel 11 and the said false bottom, and in which arms 33 at the lower end of the stirrer are caused to rotate to thoroughly mix the electrolyte contained in the vessels, as well as to induce a circulation of said electrolyte between the walls of the'vessels 11 and 12, the lower portion of the latter for this purpose being provided with suitable perforations and similarly foo is carried byt the upper portions with perforations 36. Due tothe rapid rotation of the arms 33, the electrolyte is drawn downwardly through the o enings 32 and 34 of the false bottom,

. lighter specific gravity, this arrangement is particularly desirable in affording a thorough mixture at the beginning of a run and where fresh liquid is added during-a run. At the same time, the whole body of liquid '.iS- worked upwardly between the separator and electrode vessels.

The stirring and circulation mechanism, hereinbeforedescribed, is carried by a suitable and removable superstructure which may consist, as shown, of four uprights 40, secured to the ii'per portion ofthe'ves's'el 10 as'by means 0 '-wi es or rods 41 passing therethro'ughand tghtened by screw bolts 42v or other suitable means. At the top, these u rights carry beams 43 adjustably secured't ereto as by means of screws 44, and to these said beams are secured, also, the guide bars '25 leading to the vessel 12. A

transverse beam 45, consisting of two sepaparts suitably held together, e two beams and extends over the center, of the apparatus to afford holding or clamping means for the stirrer member 30. To this end, there is cemented to this member, which is preferably constructed of glass, a metal sleeve 50; an near the top of rated clamping said sleeve is secured a collar 51. Abbut the sleeve 50 and beneath the collar 51 is a fur ther or bearing sleeve 52 which is held colar 51 resting upon the sleeve 52 which af-.

fords the bearing for its rotation. Rotation may be transmitted thereto in any suitable manner, as for example through .a belt 53 and pulley 54, which latter is secured to the outer projecting end of said stirrer member. In this manner, the said stirrer member is so mounted as to be readily removable from the cell, as is also the whole super-structure, tanks, etc.

The mechanical means provided herein in conjunction with the particular construction of, cell shown afford a positive upward circulation of liquid in a narrow passage between diaphragm and electrode induced by the centrifugal action of stirrer, the circulating liquid being composed of portions drawn from the upper layers as well as from the body of the electrolyte itself. In this manner, there is insured a constantsu'pply of the raw material, even when such is nonmiscible 1n and of lesser specifi gravity than the other constituents of the electrolyte. It will be understood that the separator Vessel may be dispensed with in electrolyses where separation of the anolyte and catholyte liquids is not essential or desirable; and

that other forms of stirring devices than that; shown aybe positioned within the hollow electr de so as to induce rapid upward or downward circulation between the hollow electrode and the separator vessel or adjacent electrode.

I claim:

1. An electrolytic cell, comprising: a suitan electrode in-the space between. said vessel.

and container; and a h )llow electrode within said vessel, said ho low electrode being provided with a false bottom and having perforations near the top and at the bottom portion below said false bottom.

3. An electrolytic cell, comprising: a suitable container; a separator vessel therein; an electrode in the space between said vessel and container; a hollow electrode within said vessel, said hollow. electrode being provided with a false bottom and having perforations near the top and at the bottom portion below said false bottom; and means to induce a. circulation of electrolyte-between said hollow electrode and the said vessel;

4. An electrolytic cell, comprising: a suitan electrode in the space between said yessel and container; a hollow electrode within said vessel, said hollow electrode being provided with a false bottom'and having perforations near the top and at the bottom portion belowsaid false bottom; a stirring tube passing through said hollow electrode and the false bottom thereof, having an opening near the upper portion of said hollow electrode and outlets at its lower end.

6. An electrolytic. cell, comprising; a suitable container; a separator vessel therein;

an electrode in the space between said vessel and container; a hollow electrode within said vessehsaid hollow electrode being provided with a false bottom and having per forationsnear the top and at the bottom portion below said false bottom; a stirring tube passing through said hollowelectrode and the false bottom thereof, having" an opening near the upper portion of said hollow electrode and oppositely-directed, openended tubular arms at its lower end below said false bottom.

7 An electrolytic cell, comprising: a suitable container; a separator vessel therein; an electrode in the space between said vessel and container; a hollow electrode within said vessel, said hollow electrode being provided with a false bottom and having perforations near the top and at the bottom portion below said false bottom; a stirring tube passing through said hollow electrode and the false bottom thereof, having an opening near the upper portion of the said hollow electrode and outlets at its lower end below said false bottom; and means to rotatably mount said stirrer member on said cell.

i 8. An electrolytic cell, comprising: a suitable containfir; a separator vessel therein; a hollow electrode in the space between said ,yessel and container, said hollow electrode being provided with a false bottom and hav- "ing'perforations near the top and at the bottom portion below said false bottom; means to close the top of the vessel andhollow electrode; a stirring tube passing through said hollow electrode and the false bottom thereof, having an opening near the upper portion of the said hollow electrode and outlets at its lower end below said false bottom; and means to rotatably mount said stirrer member on said cell.

9. An electrolytic cell, comprising; a suitable container; a separator vessel therein v a hollow electrode extending above the top of said vessel and provided -with guide strips; glass plates resting upon said top of the vessel and closing the space between same and the hollow electrode; glass, plates partly closing the top of said hollow electrode; and a lead strip between said'last-k named glass plates and having lugs abutting the lateral edges thereof and pressing the opposite edges of said glass platesagainst the guide strips of the hollow electrode. 10. An electrolytic cell, comprising: asuitable container; a separator vessel therein;

a hollow electrode in the space between said vessel and container, said hollow electrode being provided with a false bottom and having perforations near the top and at the bottom portion below said false bottom; a stirring tube passing through said'hollow elec .trode and the false bottom thereof, having an opening near the upper portion of the said hollow electrode and outlets at its lower end below said false bottom; and means to close the top of the vessel and hollow elec trode,.said means being provided with a cen- Ltral opening to receive a stirrer member.

" 11. An electrolytic cell, comprising: a suit ablecontainer; a separator vessel therein; an electrode in the space between said vessel and container; a hollow electrode within said vessel, said hollow electrode being rovided with a false bottom and having per orations near the top and at the bottom portion below said false bottom; a stirring tube passing through said hollow electrode and the false bottom thereof, having an opening near the upper portion of said hollow. electrode and s outlets at its lower endbelow said false bot: tom, electrolyte being caused to circulate under the rotation of the stirrer member through the space between the walls of the said vessel and the said hollow electrode and be drawn downwardly. into the lowermost compartment of the hollow electrodms well as drawn through the stirrer member and expelled from the lower end thereof.

12. An electrolytic cell, comprisin a suitable container; a separator vessel t erein; an electrode in the space between said vessel and conta ner; a hollow electrode within said vessel. said hollow electrode be ing provided with a false bottom and hav-' ing perforations near the to and at the bottom portion below said fa se bottom; a-

with acentral 4 secured thereto, a collar at the upper portion of said sleeve, a bearing sleeve about saidw first-named sleeve'and below said collar, and means to secure said bearing sleeve to the container. 7 1

13. An electrolytic cell, comprising: a suitable container; a separator vessel therein; an electrode in the space between said vessel and container; a hollow electrode within said vessel, said hollow electrode being provided with a false bottom and having perfo rations near the top and at the bottom portion below'said false-bottom; a stirrer tube passing through saidhollow electrode and the false bottom thereof,having an opening near the upper portion of said hollow-electrode and'outlets at its lower end below said false bottom; means to close the top of the 'vessel-and hollow electrode, said means he ing-provided with a central-opening to receive the stirrer member, the latter having a metal sleeve secured thereto,- a collar at the upper portion of said sleeve, a bearing sleeve about said 'first nam'ed sleeve and below said collar, and means to secure said bearing sleeve to the container, comprising a removable superstructure having a plurality of uprights attached to the container,beams adjustable thereon, and a transverse twopart clamping member adapted to secure the said bearing sleeve of the stirrer, the latter being provided-'at'its outer end with a suitable pulley member.

14. A cell for the production ofparamidophenol and its compounds, comprising: a container;- a vessel therein composed of granular diaphragm material impregnated witha suitable gelatinous medium, the space betweensame-and the said container formin'gtheanode compartment of the cell and containing sulfuric acid and a lead anode;

composed of carbon plates, said vessel-and. cathode being designed to retain a mixture of nitro benzol and sulfuric acid; and means extending within said cathode -'to induce a circulation and mixture of the electrolyte.-

1'5. .An'electrolytio cell, comprising a hole? low electrode, an adjacent electrodeso'positioned as to provide a relatively narrow space-between it and the hollow electrode, and a stirring device to induce rapid circulation of the electrolyte between the electrodes and through the hollow electrode.

16. An electrolytic cell, comprising a h0l-' low electrode provided with perforations, an adjacent electrode so positioned as to provide f a relatively narrow space between it' and the hollow electrode, and a stirring device to induce rapid circulation of the electrolyte between the electrodes. 1 v j '17. An electrolytic cell, compivising a-Ehollow electrode provided with perforations at the top and bottom, an adjacent electrode so positioned as to provide a relatively narrow 5 space between it and the hollow electrode, and a stirring device to induce rapid circulation of the :electrolyte'between the electrodes. 4M

18. An electrolytic cell, comprising a hollow electrode, an adjacent member, and means for inducing circulation of electrol A through the hollow electrode and the spaw between said member and said hollow ,elec trodeh j,

19. An electrolytic cell, comprising a. hollow electrode, an adjacent member, anda stirringdevice within said hollow electrode to induce circulation of electrolyte through the space between said member and sand hollow electrode,

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 20th day of October, A. D. 1919.

CHARLES J. THATCHER. 

